Only Human
by Gones
Summary: Minato mentally shivered. His friends... had they forgotten him?
1. The Fool's Regret

Minato was happy his friends had moved on. Despite his position, he was quite happy when they had learned the truth behind his "death", and his reasons. They didn't need him anymore, even though it sounded sad.

Actually, Minato was quite that he was the only one (aside from Nyx and Erebus) present in the empty expanse of space and yellow fog, he did not feel lonely in the slightest. The reason, is because he felt the frequent thoughs of his friends calling out to him, wondering if they were lessening his burden, with an occasional thought of encouragement around the lines of "Don't give up, because we're all trying here too." It was a great comfort to the blue haired boy.

Another comfort was the fact that Orpheus had returned to him, aftering aiding Aigis in her own ordeal. The metallic persona loyally stayed by Minato's side, and often played eeriely soothing tunes.

Despite the few comforts her had, he could shake the feeling of loneliness that had grown on him. It was like a part of himself that refused to go away, leaving him in frequent thoughts of despair. After all, he still hung empherally from the golden door, holding onto the chains he had willing put on himself. All to keep out Erebus, so his friends could live the lives that they deserved, that they fought for, but in his case, he "died" for it. No, he was not dead. He existed still, had the same recurring thoughts, often finding solace in his year's worth of memories. But even that was not enough to vanquish his thoughts of despair.

After all, he had lost all sense of time. How many days, months, years that had passed, he did not know. He had given up his freedom, and had only his thoughts, and Orpheus as company.

He longed to answer his friends' thoughts. He wished to speaking with them, at least tell them that he was okay. He was fine with it, as long as they lived their lives to the fullest.

But then, after some time, he noticed something.

The thoughts that had encouraged him to keep going, began vanishing. Even in his current state, he distinctly could tell his friends apart. But, as time went by, the thoughts diminished, until Aigis was the only one left.

Even thought Minato was not the type of person to jump to conclusions, he began thinking too fast.

His friends... had they forgotten him?

...Had they... died?

_No. _He told himself. _They remembered the promise we made on Graduation day. I'm sure they wouldn't forget..._

Minato mentally shivered.

Then, at that moment, Orpheus had stopped playing, and looked sorrowfully at his master's statue-like form. He was him, so naturally he felt the pain, and burden upon his master's shoulders. He set the lyre on his back, allowing a few moments of needed silence.

Minato... for the first time, he regretted his choice. Had the others really died, he wanted to be there. For them, as they had done for him. But if the first option was true, then that would be worse. Forgotten by the people he cared for most... He wanted to be with them more than ever; but no. He was in a prison, that fate had cut out for him. Why did he have to stop humanity from calling out to death? Why didn't some other person do it instead?

He was robbed of the life he could've had, all because humanity had gone suicidal.

Why...?

He was robbed of his freedom, being chained to the giant golden door where the inevitable lay, asleep.

Why?

He was robbed of all the things that made him human.

WHY?!

In his anguish, he wanted to prove he was still human. He wanted to laugh, cry, get angry, scream, yell... tell his friends that he missed them... say what he never got a chance to say... apologize for all the times he led them into danger, or all the times he had caused them trouble. He wanted to tell them, "I'm still here, watching over you..."

Miraculously, a lucid, pristine tear slid down his stone cheek without his notice. It reached the arc of his chin, and fell freely to the world below the yellow fog.

_Please don't forget me..._

---

A/n: Okay, this has been sitting in my head, and I had to get it out. This could be more than a one-shot than I intended it to be, but I feel like continuing it. Tell me what you think.

Also, I apologize for any grammar mistakes. I'm using WordPad.

-Thy True Self


	2. The Aeon's Change

Aigis was left alone, _again_ with the children. She had been given the task of babysitting by her friends, yet she did not mind it in the least. Many years had gone by since the end of the Dark hour, and _his_ passing. Of course, she was surprised by the difference in the years that had passed by.

As she had remained the same, the others had not. Junpei had finally realized his dream of becoming a baseball player for his lost love, Chidori. He had never quite gotten over her. Aigis was rather surprised when she had first received the invitation to Mitsuru (who had become the absolute leader of the Kirijo Group) and Akihiko's wedding, but that had been years ago. Ken had managed to get into one of his favored law university, and frequently he came to visit the others with talk of his girlfriend, whom he was very devoted to. Yukari became a successful fashion designer. Often, she would send clothes to Aigis, but she really had no use for them. Fuuka became a skilled computer programmer, and was an Ace of the Kirijo Group. Perhaps, Aigis had changed herself; there was one rather startling aspect that had definitely changed.

She had a daughter.

Rather, not a biological daughter, but an orphaned girl that had survived a car crash. Her family had been killed instantly, and this girl was the only survivor. Perhaps it had just been a sense of compassion, but after seeing the child's expressionless face in the ward, she had been all too reminded of _him. _She was around the same age as well, by sheer coincidence, but she looked nothing remotely like _him_; this girl had bright red eyes, and brownish red hair, and was quite cheerful and lively in contrast to his silent but placid demeanor.

Hamuko, was this girl's name. Having no new last name to give upon her receiving her custody, Aigis had adopted _his_ last, and gave it to this girl as well. Hamuko Arisato was her new name, and the red-eyed girl did not seem to mind.

Having company had definitely eased her sorrow of living alone, because the others had been busy with their lives. Hamuko was quite vivid and lively, despite her early losses. She oft was the one comforting Aigis by attending to her need to take care of someone. Aigis noticed this trait in the red-eyed girl. She was rather strange. For a child, she was seemingly mature under a façade of her liveliness and cheerful manner. She enjoyed spending time with Hamuko whenever she had the time.

Aigis liked to think that they enjoyed each other's company. However, at times she found the child quite odd. She would stare at the sky sometimes for large bouts of time, and when asked why, she simply replied, '_because someone's up there_.'

When asked '_Who is this someone?_' The red eyed girl merely shook her head, keeping her words to herself. No one could exactly figure out the reasoning behind her behavior. Normally when around strangers, she would shy away and hide behind Aigis. Upon being introduced to the former SEES members, she merely smiled and took to them quite warmly. She was such an odd girl, but despite this Aigis continued to look after her. After all, she had grown quite fond of her.

Today, was a rather strange day.

It was sunny; it had been a bright day with billowy clouds floating lazily in the sky. It was the kind of day that _he_ enjoyed silently. However, a sudden downpour manifested itself in the area, causing Aigis's plans to take the children to the park averted.

"Aigis-san." Upon having her name called, she stopped her train of thought and gave her undivided attention to the child calling her. It was Shinjiro, Akihiko and Mitsuru's son, given the namesake of their fallen comrade. Falling to the eight-year old's eye level, she gave him a simple inquiring look.

"What is it?"

The boy merely gave a look of hesitancy as Aigis stared at him with inquiring eyes. "Hamuko isn't here."

Aigis's heart stopped. "What do you mean, 'she isn't here'?"

"She went outside."

"What?" Aigis felt her eyes widen as she pressed the child further for answers. "Why would she do such a thing without telling me?"

"I dunno. She didn't listen to me when I told her not to." Shinjiro said simply as he glanced out the window. "And it's raining too."

"Shinjiro-kun, please stay here." She said firmly as she stood up and ran toward the door. Before exiting, she gave the boy one last glance. "Please behave yourself until I have returned with Hamuko-chan."

"Aigis-san, I wanna go too." The boy followed her to the door, but she merely shook her head in refusal.

"You must stay here and watch the house for me." Aigis replied in a stern manner. "I will be back very soon, so please, Shinjiro-kun."

With a defeated look, the boy stared as Aigis grabbed the nearest umbrella and ran outside through the rain.

It wasn't just a light drizzle as it had been earlier. It was a full torrential downpour of water, and somewhere, Hamuko was walking around in the rain. As she scoured the area, she finally found the red-eyed girl at the deserted playground, sitting on the tallest place available for a seven year old's reach- the slide. She sat in the arc of the slide, sheltered from the rain, but with wet clothes. As Aigis drew close, Hamuko stared at her with inquisitive eyes.

"Why did you leave the house?" Aigis asked at once after she had reached the same point as Hamuko. Standing up in her dampened cream-colored dress, she simply gazed at Aigis.

"Aigis onee-chan." She murmured softly as she stood up and resumed her habit of staring at the sky. "Can you hear it?"

"...Hear what?"

"Someone is crying."


	3. The Lovers' Hope

**A/n**: This Shinjiro takes more after Akihiko. He's a daddy's boy, with shaggy black hair with a slight red hue. It is safe to assume that the black hair was inherited from Mitsuru's side of the family, thanks to her late father. Thanks to his mother, he's got more manners and is somewhat mature for his age, but thanks to his father, he's got a thing for being a man and fighting for what he wants. Though, thanks to his upbringing and namesake, he does behave like Shinjiro, albeit nicer and polite. He tries not to make this Hamuko cry, and such, so they're good friends as a result.

* * *

Yukari Takeba sighed to herself as she glanced out the window, watching the scenery pass by, wishing to herself that she could meld with the wind. Why? Because, when the wind rushed through her hair, smoothing out her face, she felt it could take her anywhere. It gave her a feeling that she was going somewhere, somewhere closer to him.

No, she hadn't forgotten. Not at all.

Never, she had once forgotten about him. She never quite got over him either.

Somewhere in her mind, she could clearly picture his face, his earnest expression and placid smile. Her love for him was unfaltering, despite the fact that many years had indeed passed. Thanks to him, she had grown… thanks to everyone, actually. He was the one leading her down that path, and the only thing left for her to do now was to see it through to the end.

The passage of time was irreversible.

Thinking about it now, back when SEES was reenacted so they could find a way to escape the dorm, she thought back on how jealous she was of Aigis. It was ironic, really. The dorm, the place where they had spent an entire year making irreplaceable memories because a prison of regret for all of them. Herself, she was shackled to the despair she had gained in losing him. Her reasons for fighting, her heartful cry was to see him again, to reach him, despite how far away he was. Given that reset button, she would've hesitated to press it until Aigis took the key and showed her the truth which everyone sought.

And they had received it. He was impossible to save, beyond her reach. As long as humans have nihilism in their hearts, that monster would always be there, tearing at him, making his burden much more heavy and profound. He had the entire world on his back, and there was nothing she could do to free him from that pain, other than living her life out to the fullest.

She loved him. She was sure that everyone did, in fact.

Today, she was dropping by to see Aigis. Surprisingly, Aigis became a mother before she did. How long had it been since Aigis had adopted Hamuko anyway? Sighing to herself, Yukari's forehead touched the cool glass of the train's window. Mitsuru was a mother as well. Who knew that she of all people would marry Akihiko? Perhaps she had grown to love him. For certain, she knew that her senpai also loved the blue-haired boy.

As she departed from the train, she took slow steps from the station, towards Aigis's home. She had brought gifts for Hamuko, remembering that Aigis wasn't too fond of clothes. About Hamuko. Something always struck her odd, in Yukari's mind. The immediate impression she got when she first met the girl, was one of… odd recollection of the times she had spent with him. It was as if she always knew what to say to her, or anyone else. She was slightly reminded of Ken whenever she met the girl, but what struck her most was the strange habit that the seven year old was oft seen doing.

Staring at the sky.

Of course, nothing seemed wrong with that, but it was as if she were staring past the clouds and blue tender sky, looking at something that shouldn't be there. It would be impossible for her to know about him, and that would be out of the question, for the SEES members no longer voiced their thoughts about him.

Still. Another thing that she found strange was that the girl, Hamuko, had suddenly appeared into their lives, just as he had.

Hopefully, she wouldn't be taken away, as he was.


	4. The Empress's Musings

The rain showed no signs of stopping, as the deluge was the primary cause of traffic, which kept the queenly red haired woman stuck in a rut, somewhere in the middle of the freeway.

She and Akihiko were on their way to pick up Shinjiro.

Shinjiro. Not her husband's childhood friend, but her child.

Shinjiro was a namesake. Not that she minded it, nor did she have any qualms with his naming the child eight years ago. She didn't voice her preference on naming him. Perhaps at the time, she was afraid that she would sound a bit naïve.

She wanted to name him Minato.

Yes, it was decidedly childish, but she let Akihiko have his way for once. She- no, they were the absolute head of the Kirijo Group. She was surprised at what lengths Akihiko took to follow her down her path. Becoming a businessman didn't seem like what he would do, yet he did. This admiration drew both of them closer together, to the point where she had said 'yes' when he knelt down and proposed. She surprised herself, yet with this, she remained true to her promise of falling in love with someone of her choosing.

Yet, she still loved the blue-haired boy.

He had a special place in her heart. He was the one who taught her how to stand on her own feet, to fight what she wanted and believed in. Perhaps… that rubbed off on her son. Nonetheless, he was the reason she did not give into the arranged marriages she so often went to, until Akihiko decided to step up to the challenge.

Thinking back on it now, everyone was a bit naïve back then. No, they had found their answers to live, and now, they were living life to the fullest.

They were, weren't they?

She was happy with Akihiko, yet sometimes, she wished that he was here in his stead. It was selfish of her, yes, but… He gave up his life to save them. He was the reason they were all still alive, yet no one could possibly understand that without experiencing what they fought for themselves. However, were they really living up to the promise they made to him?

"Mitsuru. Are you all right?"

"Oh?" Snapping back into reality, she brushed her hair out of her eyes as she glanced at Akihiko, who kept his eyes on the road, but took enough care to glance at her whilst driving. "Yes… I'm fine."

"Thinking about 'him' again?"

He hit the nail right on the head. Rubbing her temples, she allowed herself to drop her queenly façade as she sighed quietly.

"That's correct."

"Heh." He laughed slightly, before giving her another glance. "I was thinking about the same thing."

"R-Really?" She stumbled slightly on her words as he continued to drive past ongoing traffic, closer to Aigis's home.

"Mitsuru, how many years has it been since that time?"

"Nearly ten years…"

"Personally, it's as if everything that happened was all a dream." Akihiko said quietly as he looked downward briefly. "Somewhere, it still hasn't hit me that he's really gone, or that we fought Nyx and Erebus."

"Sometimes… I'd want to relive it, honestly."

"…I understand that. We all want to see him again."

"….But it'll never happen, as long as that monster is there."

"I know. But even so, you can't give up hope." He said weakly as he took a turn, out of the highway. "The fact that we're here means he's still holding on. He's still enduring."

"I know that." She replied quietly as she rubbed the side of her leg, as if looking for a holster, something that she had long discarded. What was it that she had lost over the course of the years? She still had her evoker as a reminder. She knew she had kept her promise of falling in love of someone of her own choosing.

So what was missing?


	5. The Magician's Thoughts

Chapter 5: A Magician's Thoughts

Junpei had grown up.

He was no longer the overactive adolescent he once was; he was a successful baseball player, who had everything he could have possibly wanted. He had a good salary, a sweet pad, life long friends… he was content. He lived comfortably with Koromaru (who had grown old with the years, but still was vigorous and energetic when it came to walks), and kept in touch with Ken (who had a girlfriend. Junpei would often tease him about it, but he supported their relationship nonetheless), Yukari (who often commented on his lack of taste for _still _wearing the same cap he wore in high school and his single status despite the fact that she was still single too), Mitsuru and Akihiko (who had gotten _married and had _a kid named Shinjiro no less) and Aigis (who adopted a kid, to his surprise. But then again, he didn't exactly expect her to have one, considering she _was_ a robot.)

He didn't exactly drop by often, but when he did he would always bring 'goodies' for the kids when he did. In fact, he was driving over to Aigis's for a surprise visit, with Koromaru in the front seat. "Uncle Junpei", he was called. It had a nice ring to it, so what did he care? Hamuko was an adorable kid, while Shinjiro was just as grumpy and standoffish as his predecessor. Nonetheless, he always brought sweets and such for them, and even played with them too. Junpei was good with kids. He always imagined having kids of his own one day with that special girl, but alas, that day never came.

He always joked about bouncing back, being the player that he was. And he did. He was a well-liked guy; contrary to his high school self, girls were lining themselves up for him, yet, he had no serious interest for them. Although he had undoubtedly matured, he never could get over Chidori.

He couldn't exactly get over the loss of his 'leader', either.

Him. The guy everyone and everything looked up to. The person who single-handedly gave up his life to save the world. The friend who always punched him when he needed it. The rival who told him to man the fuck up during his brooding moments.

The leader who never _once_ doubted him.

He, Minato Arisato, was the guy who would play video games with him in his spare time when the other dorm mates refused (hell, even Ken said games were too childish for his liking). Minato always motivated him to be better than he ever could be, and was there for him when he most needed it after Chidori's death. Junpei felt guilty, because of all the times he had spurned him, pushed him away, and insulted him behind his back. He was envious of him, and his power. His luck, his skills, his smarts- the girls loved him, people in general adored him. Hell, Junpei _hated_ him.

Minato always had something he lacked- and Junpei admittedly lacked many things, but the most obvious thing he lacked was Patience. The patience to deal with others, no matter who the person was. Minato had that in abundance.

Minato Arisato, was one of the few people Junpei gave his full respect to. He was someone who he could call his 'best friend'.

The world would never know what they did to save it. The world would _never_ know the truth behind it's averted end. They would never know the truth on what really happened to Minato Arisato. To the few, he would be one of the best, most moving people they had ever known or met who had died an unexplained death. To the majority, he would just be some generic emo-looking teenager that died from an unknown cause.

And that pissed off Junpei to no end.

They risked their _lives _to save an ultimately nihilistic world, and for what? No one would know of their exploits, no one would know of their losses, no one would know what _truly _occurred on January 31st. The world was just the same as it had been all those years ago. People still died, times changed, wars still ravaged overseas and people were discontent with the mundane. Couldn't they be happy for what they had! At least they didn't have to suffer through a year of hell. And Minato, what about him? He was still suffering to keep them all alive!

He is the only reason why the world still exists, and yet…

Frustrated, Junpei slammed his fist against the driving wheel as he waited for the stoplight to change color. Koromaru perked his head in concern, but the cap-wearing man forced a smile and pet the white-furred dog. Koromaru licked his hand comfortingly as Junpei averted his attention back to the road. He tightened his grip on the driving wheel in his dissatisfaction as he drove through the rain-drenched road.

In the end, no one would ever know what happened.


	6. The Justice's Chagrin

**The Justice's Chagrin**

Ken was ready to panic.

Somehow, despite all accounts of the weather being sunny it ended up raining. To say it was just raining was a heavy understatement. It nearly matched the typhoon that had hit Tatsumi Port Island ten years ago. Ken fought his way from his car towards Aigis's apartment with only the cover of a shoddy umbrella.

He was visiting Aigis and Hamuko, since he had said and promised weeks ago he would when he had the time. After all, he yet to meet the little girl who shared the same past as Minato, with the exception of the Dark Hour and all experiences linked with it. He had heard from Aigis after all.

The girl, Hamuko, at first would not speak for days. She would stare blankly towards the sky through any sort of window, and gaze, as if searching for something hiding in its Azure depths, while Aigis made daily rounds and visited her everyday. Ken sympathized with Hamuko. He did something similar after his mother died protecting him… But for her, she had lost her entire family within the course of one day. And to think she had no other relatives either… Ken understood what she was feeling completely.

He of all people knew it was a terrible feeling, to be ridden with survivor guilt.

Ken was actually looking forward to meeting the girl too, after hearing so many good remarks from Junpei, Aigis, Yukari, and Fuuka. Now he actually had the opportunity to meet her.

Yet, imagine his distress when he rang the doorbell to find the little boy who bore a striking resemblance to Akihiko shifting anxiously at the door. It was Shinjiro Sanada. But where was Aigis? After a bit of coaxing, Ken finally persuaded the boy to move out of the door way to let him inside. After a bit of glancing around, Ken realized that the boy was by himself.

"Shinjiro-kun." Ken started to say as he knelt to the boy's height. "Where's Aigis? Why are you by yourself? Did something happen?"

"…It's… Amada-san, right?" He asked nervously, to which Ken nodded as he gave him a pressing look. "Aigis-san went out a while ago to get Hamuko."

"When did this happen?" Ken began to say, seeing Shinjiro's uneasy apprehension. "Do you know where they went?"

The boy shook his head. "Hamuko said something big was gonna happen outside. I told her not to go because it was raining, but she didn't listen to me. Idiot." He added as an afterthought.

Ken experienced a slight taste of nostalgia. Whose idea was to bring up him exactly like Shinjiro? Well, not exactly, but similar enough. "So Aigis got worried and followed her?"

"Yeah… but the rain's gotten a lot worse now. I hope they're okay." Shinjiro muttered with a worried expression as he glanced out the window.

"They'll be okay. Aigis has been through a lot worse." Ken confirmed, but felt somewhat doubtful himself. It was storming outside, with rain pelting loudly against the pavement. The apartment rumbled.

Shinjiro was obviously worried. Ken had the feeling that if he took his eyes off of him for a second, he would be out the door in a mere matter of moments. He had to do something to get the boy's attention… but what?

"Err… Amada-san?"

"Just call me Ken. I'm not that old." He replied absentmindedly.

"Okay… Ken-san." Shinjiro tested, and received a approving look from the twenty-year old. "You've known mom and dad for a long time, right?"

"For nearly ten years. Your dad was a role model of sorts for me, and your mom was equally the same." Ken admitted. "Heh, she's the one who told me to clean my room when I was around your age. She kind of acted like a mother for everyone who lived there."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we lived at the same dormitory together, despite the fact everyone except for me and the dog that lived there were older than us. Unless you count dog years." Ken chuckled slightly. "Why ask?"

"The other day, Dad said that I was named after his dead best friend so I would become strong and kind as he was." The boy looked up at him with curious eyes. "Since you seem to know them really well, does that mean you know who dad's best friend was?"

Ken gulped. Did it really have to come to this question? If he answered it, it would make sure that the boy would try going outside. It would also buy time for Aigis to come back. Awkwardly, Ken stood up and pointed over to the small sofa in the apartment's living room. "Uh, you should probably take a seat…?"

Questioningly, the boy raised an eyebrow, but otherwise followed Ken's direction and hopped on the sofa. Ken followed the same suit before exhaling a breath. How was he supposed to explain who Shinjiro Aragaki was to a kid with his namesake?

"Well…" He began to say with a breath, still edgy. "Shinjiro-san was the same age as your dad. He was brave, and stronger than I could ever be."

"…That's it?" The little successor of Kirijo stared at him critically. Ken was vaguely reminded of Mitsuru's stare.

"…Shinjiro Aragaki… He was brave enough to face death head on." The boy's eyes widened considerable, as he gave a pressing look. Ken continued quietly. "Not many people really knew much about him, except for Minato-san, Mitsuru-sempai, and Akihiko-sempai. He always kept to himself, so… yeah. Shinjiro-san, was someone that literally no one would think of messing with. He seemed like a scary guy to most people, but it turns out that he was really kind. He used to cook and feed Koromaru treats, as well as cook food in the dorm while the others were away for them to eat later. Akihiko-sempai admired him because he was naturally strong… I did too for that matter."

"…But what happened to him?" Shinjiro dared to ask. Ken shifted uncomfortably. It had been so long since he had talked about it, and a kid no less was asking. "If he's so strong, then how come he died?"

"With power came a price. He wasn't like any of the others…" Ken mumbled quietly as he lowered his head. "Twelve years ago, there was this… accident. I was there during this accident, and because of it… someone died. Even though it wasn't Shinjiro-san's fault, I blamed him all the same. So for two years, I want my revenge against him. On the same day that person died, I confronted him and…"

The boy blinked as Ken's voice trailed off. "Ken-san…?"

"…He died protecting me…" The boy's jaw dropped, but Ken failed to notice. "Under a full moon, ten years ago, Shinjiro Aragaki died to save me… I hated myself for it. No one blamed me for it. No one yelled at me, no one was angry… in fact, when I came back, they welcomed me." Ken bit his lip. "If only I had been stronger, if only I hadn't been so consumed with hate back then, he would still be alive. But… Thanks to him, I- no, Akihiko-san and I have definitely grown." Ken let out a mirthless chuckle as he rubbed his forehead. "It's funny… why is it so hard to admit now? It's been ten years… you'd think I'd stop acting like such a kid, don't you think? After that entire mess… I'm still the same as I was before."

"Uh…uh…! Ken-san, you shouldn't blame yourself…!" Shinjiro stuttered, evident he didn't quite understand everything Ken had told him. Nonetheless, the boy gave him a stern look. "Mom and Dad hold you in high esteem… so don't feel bad! I… I don't think Shinjiro would want you to feel bad either."

Ken groaned internally. An eight year old was comforting him? How pathetic could he get? "You're definitely right there, Shinjiro-kun." Lifting his head up, Ken shot the boy a friendly smile. "He would've probably told me to get off of my ass or something, and stop moping. But it's really been too long… I mean, ten years. Shinjiro… ha, I bet if he saw me now, he'd probably laugh at me and call me a kid again." Gazing at the boy, Ken gave him a serious, but gentle look. "Shinjiro-kun. For your sake, and the person you were named after… live life to the fullest."

"…What does that mean?" The boy asked him wonderingly. Laughing, Ken tousled the younger boy's hair much to his chagrin.

"You'll find out when you grow up- but don't rush. You're only a kid once, after all." Ken murmured as he lifted his hand away.

"Living life to the fullest, Ken-san?"

"Exactly." He replied, looking outside towards the rain splattered window. "Living life to the fullest is something everyone should do. If you live that way, rich or poor, you'll be happy no matter what you do." Ken paused as he caught hold of a familiar object in his jacket. Smiling, he stared towards the cloudy sky before adding as an after thought-

"I'm sure... It's something that _he _would want as well."

* * *

A/n: So! I… am not very familiar with Ken. Hopefully I didn't screw things up.


End file.
